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This is another one of those films with an interesting subject as well a title that isn’t so easy to pronounce. Neither of these facts keep The Taqwacores from being a coming of age tale that takes a fascinating look at a subculture that many people have never been exposed to.

Finding out that there is even a Muslim punk-rock scene was a surprise to me. What came as even more of a surprise was to see that while these punks lash out against the establishment, they also have a much greater understanding for what it is that they are lashing out against. Most punks just defy authority and conventional practices, without really having an alternative that makes sense. The film does a great job at showing that this subculture doesn’t exist for simply for anarchy, but exists to challenge ideologies and faith in a way that can help young Muslims understand and practice in a more practical and modern way. Make no mistake, the film is not all faith and ideals. The film closely follows a student, and his journey through the world of Taqwacore punk Islam.

We had a chance to sit with director of The Taqwacores, Eyad Zahra and actors Bobby Naderi and Dominic Rains. I was especially impressed with the direction of Zahra, as he found a good way to balance both the music scene and the challenge of faith in every day life. I really enjoyed the film, and thought it was a perfect film for SXSW because of how it shows the intersections of life, music and figuring out who you really are. Check out The Taqwacores, a harder and louder coming of age tale.

Check out out interview below.

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